The lament of trees at Naya Qila's golf course

The mighty Baobab within the Naya Qila adjunct of Golconda Fort has been witness to times good and bad over the past four centuries.

| Feb 24, 2013, 03.12 AM IST

"When great trees fall in forests,

small things recoil into silence, their senses eroded beyond fear."

- Maya Angelou

The mighty Baobab within the Naya Qila adjunct of Golconda Fort has been witness to times good and bad over the past four centuries. Said to have been imported into the Qutub Shahi kingdom by African mercenaries who served in the Abyssinian Royal Guard, quite a few specimens of this unique species are found within city limits. The one within the Naya Qila however, evolved into an icon of Hyderabad due to its distinctive shape, size and location. According to local legends, at one point of time in the distant past, the Hatyan ka Jhad (Elephant Tree) is said to have served as the hideout for a group of brigands. The posse of 20 robbers would pillage outlying areas of the fort on nocturnal raids and hole up within the hollowed out trunk during the day. Hyderabad Golf Association which was penalized for cutting down 15 large trees in Naya Qila enclosed mighty Hatyan within a stockade.

The HGA chopped off the trees to ensure proper implementation of their proposed golf course layout. The Rs 75,000 penalty imposed for this violation of the WALTA Act was paid without a murmur for it was peanuts when measured against what had been gained; a clear freeway for golfers attempting aces and birdies. A further stipulation requiring the planting of three new trees in lieu of each that was felled had the HGA smiling from ear to ear - for shaded, tree lined vistas, were ideal backdrops on the course as long as the foliage is put in its proper place!

What is far more alarming about the incident though is the explanation that the golf course management came up with when confronted by officials of the forest department. They blamed it all on the poor labourers who are said to have done the dastardly deed on their own initiative when asked to just clear away some bushes. An unlikely occurrence, for even the most illiterate of our countrymen can easily distinguish between a bush and a tree. However, one indisputable fact did emerge out of the gory incident; the tacit acknowledgement of HGA that its workforce within the Naya Qila goes about its activities unsupervised by competent personnel; a sorry state of affairs which bodes ill for a protected monument of national significance. Due to activities of the HGA, the fort has already suffered damage in the past and is as yet susceptible to further harm at the hands of their 'unsupervised' workforce.It is indeed a shame that the falling of a tree seems to have no discernable impact on the people of Hyderabad. Despite a sustained campaign against the indiscriminate felling of trees, and among these quite a few 'great' trees including some which had stood sentinel over the city for centuries, the wanton destruction of our shrinking green-cover continues unabated and unchecked. Hundreds of trees are being chopped up daily and the images of even the few that are reported in the media are enough to bring one to tears. In a recent incident, a row of graceful palm trees along the median of the Rasoolpura-Begumpet road was mercilessly chopped up by Metro Rail workers. Once again the blame went to an erring contractor, though some punitive action against the engineers concerned is also said to have been ordered. In a rare acceptance of its limitations, Metro Rail has announced the creation of an Urban Forestry Wing which is being touted as the watchdog against any future repeats of such reprehensible actions. Unfortunately, much like in the case of the Naya Qila, the plight of heritage continues unaddressed with the very identity of the Hyderabad at the mercy of administrators for whom viability and the bottom line are more important than the history, culture and monuments of a city steeped in history.

Besieged on all fronts, Hyderabad has failed to challenge the wanton destruction of its built and natural heritage. There is still time and a lot can as yet be saved despite the seemingly unstoppable roll of the Metro Rail which is supremely confident of bulldozing all opposition through its liberally funded PR campaigns. The accompanying publicity blitzkrieg has almost drowned the feeble voices of protests raised by a few concerned citizens.

Na samjhoge to mit jaoge ay Hindostan walo;

Tumhari dastan tak na hogi dastanon mein.

(If you as yet fail to comprehend, you will be annihilated O' countrymen!

Your very mention will be erased from the chronicles of the world.)

(The writer is a heritage activist)

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